Railway signaling apparatus.



lPatented lune l2, i900.

Y J.cLEGHORN. l RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Apphcat on led Mar 20 1900) (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT O EETCE.

.IOHN-OLEGHORN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A `BERNHARD WILDERSIN, OF SAME PLACE;

RAILWAY 'sleNALlNe APPARATUS.

ECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent N0. 651,794, dated J une 12, 1900. Application filed March 20, 1900. Serial No. 9,433. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CLEGHORN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to' the letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railway signaling apparatus; and it consists of the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully vunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line X X, Fig. 1, the parts being shown on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line Y Y, the parts being enlarged. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View of a feature of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line Z Z, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken through the signal-standard looking downward. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View of the locking mechanism.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in the views, let the numeral 5 designate the rails of the' main track, which are provided at points suitably separated with short sections 6, hinged at 7 and having a limited degree of oscillation in a horizontal plane. Located adjacent each section 6 is a tongue 8,hinged at 9,its free or pivoted extremity being normally held in contact with the part 6 by means of a rod l0, passing through an opening in a guide-lug 12, fast on a stationary plate 12.V This rod is provided with a collar 10a. Between the collar 10a and the guide-lug12a is located a coil-spring 13, which surrounds the rod. This rod is connected with the tongue at a point remote from the hinge-pin- 9. The rail part 6 is provided with an extension-flange 6, through which the vnections.

hinge-pin 9 of the tongue passes, the latter being provided with a flange 8a for the purpose. The flange 6 of the rail part 6 rests on a bed-plate 14a, connected with the rod 14. The plate 14"L is provided with lugs 14, which engage the opposite edges of the part Gf. The movable plate 14u rests upon a stationary base-plate 15, secured to a base 16 by bolts 17. The plate has a vertical projection 15, upon which rests a guard-plate 1S, bolted to the web ofl the rail part 6. This guardplate also rests upon a l-ug 1.4c of the movable plate 14 and keeps the space 19 free from obstructions, which otherwise might interfere with the movement of the rod 14 and its con- The rod 14 occupies a position at right angles to the direction of the track and extends beneath a guard-rail 22 on the opposite side of the track from the rail part 6. The rod 14 is provided with a stiff spring or yielding part 14d,which, as shown in the drawings, is formed integral with the rod. The function of this feature will be hereinafter explained. The extremity of the rod 14 remote from the rail part 6 is-pivotally connected with a triangular plate 20, fulcrumed at 21, and performs the function of a bell-crank lever.v '[o the opposite diagonal corner of, this plate is pivotally connected a rod 23, which extends parallel with the direction of the track, its opposite extremity being connected with a similar lever-plate fulcrumed at 21, its opposite diagonal corner being connected with a rod 24, extending at right angles to therod 23. This. rod 24 is connected with the leverplate intermediate its extremities, one of which is connected with a V-shaped rail part 30, hinged at 31, its two arms or branches being respectively designated al and 30C. The

other extremity of the rod 24 is pivotally connected with a horizontal crank-arm 25, made fast to the vertical revoluble standard 26, provided with the signal 27. To the V-shaped rail part 30 is attached one extremity of a rod 35, which passes through a lug 12, formed on a stationary plate 12. (See Fig. 3.) Between this lug and the collar 35, formed on the rod, is located a coil-spring 13% which normally holds the part 30 in the position shown in full lines in the drawings. This rod and spring construction is substantially the same as that IOO shown yin Fig. 3 of the drawings. Hence it is not `considered necessary to illustrate it in detail. 1

To the plate 20, at the point where the rod v is attached, is also connected one extremity of a link 28, whose opposite extremityis con nected -with one end of a transverse lockingbar 29, whose opposite end is connected'with the rail part 6. This locking-bar is provided with a bend or otherwise fashioned to forma'. recess or notch 29a, adapted to receive a lugA 32, formed o n a stationary plate As shown in the drawings, this bar is unlocked, the rel cess or Ynotch y29 being disengaged from the lug 32.

A and B. at `one extremity, as shown at A', and the arms of the fork embrace a stop B', fast on one ex-,treinityof the part B. The opposite sides of .this stop ,are grooved to receive the embracing fork-arms. (See Fig. 5.) To the The link 28 is composedof two parts extremities of the fork-arms are attached a stop A2, provided with an opening, through whichthelink part B passes and within which itslides freely. The link part B is alsoprovided with a stop B2. Between the stops A2 and B2 is located a coil-spring B3, which surrounds .the link member B.

Tile mechanism already described isdnplicated in order that the signal may be operated by a train traveling'in either direc'- tion. Hence one set of mechanism having been described, the other set will not be set f forth in detail. Y

The operation ofthe signaling mechanism will now be described.

` `A .train moving in one direction will display the danger-signal to one approaching from the oppositevdirection in the following manner: The wheels of the signaling-train will ,engage the tong-ue 8 (of one set of signaling mechanism) from the inside and force the rail `part -6`outward to the dotted-line posiy tion,'bringing thetongue 8 into line with the main-track rail 5. This movement of the rail part 6. moves the rod 14 'in the direction indicated by the arrow, turns the lever-plate'20 on .its fulcrum, moves the rod 23 in the direc-tion indicated by the arrow, and actuates the lever-plate .2On to throw the signal `27 in thedirection indicated by the arrow `through* the agency of the rod. 24 and the crank-arm 25. As the signal staff or standard is operated the V-shaped rail part 30 is shifted to thedotted-line position, bringing the member 30a into line with the `main-track rail.v

Simultaneouslyl with this operation the link 28-will be moved in the same direction as the rod 23 and the lock-bar shifted in thel direction indicated by the arrow, causing the re cess 29aof the bar to engage the lug 32 of the plate 33, in which position the Vlock-bar is held ,throu gh the instrumentality of the spring B3,tl1us locking the signal 27 in the changed position and the rrail part 30 in the dotted-v line position. The operated signal may be any-,desired distance, within reasonable lim- (See Fig. 4.) The part A is forked its, from the mechanism first actednonby the operating-train. .As the trainpasses along, its wheels engage the member 30c of the operated rail-section 30 and force it outward to the full-line positon, returning the signal to its normal position. Simultaneously with this operation the rod 23 yand the link 28 are `moved `in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow, unlocking the bar 29 and shifting the lever-plate 20. to actuate the rod 29 in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow, whereby the rail part 6 is thrown to the full-line position and the lock-.bar shifted to the normal position shown in the drawings.

'The function ofV thespring 14d of the rod 14 is to allow the rod to yield slightly during the brief interval requiredto unlock lthe-bar 29, since until this bar isnnlocked the -rail part 6 and the rod 14 cannot move bodily. The strength of this spring is such as -to make the rod'continuous or integral for all other purposes. After the train passes the operated signal, the flange of the wheel on one side passes between the tongue 8 andthe rai-l part 6 nearer the operated signal, throwing the tongue to the dotted-line position and compressing the spring 13, which las soon as the train passes returns the tongue to its normal position through the agency of the rod 10. Hence the signaling mechanism is left in the same position as before, being readyfor the next'train. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- .l

l. A railway signaling apparatus compris ing a movable railfpart pivoted at one extremity, and normally in line'with the main-track rail, a tongue occupying a position at an angle to the rail partv and V'arranged to move therewith when the train is moving in one direction,rsaid tongue being hinged lto allow it tomove independently of said rail pa-rt when the train is moving in the opposite direction, a rod connected with the rail part remote from its pivoted extremity, said rod being connected with the tongue adjacent its pivoted or hingedlextremity, whereby the rail part and the tongue are made to oscillate as the rod reciprocates, a lever with which the opposite extremity of the rod is connected, another rod having one extremity-connected with the same lever, another lever with which the opposite extremity of the last-named rod is connected, a signal, and another Arod connected with the lever and withthe signal, the parts being so arranged that the movement o f the rail part operates'the signal ksubstantially as described.- -5 Y 2. A railway signaling apparatus comprising a'movable rail part pivoted at one eXtremity, and normally in line with the main-track rail, a tongue occupying a position atan'angle to the rail part and arranged to move in one direction, said tonguebeing hinged-toallow itvto move independently of the rail part when the train is moving in the opposite direction, a lrod. -connectedwith then 'rail-part IOO los

IIO

remote from its pivoted extremity, and connected with the tongue adjacent its pivoted or hinged extremity, whereby the rail part and the tongue are made to oscillate as the said rod moves back and forth, a lever with which the opposite extremity of the rod is connected, another rod having one extremity connected with the same lever, another-lever with which the opposite extremity of the lastnamed rod is connected, a signal, another rod connected with the lever and with the signal, and a Vshaped rail part hinged at one extremity and having one arm normally in line Y with the main-trackVV rail, the said V-sfhaped'V rail part being connected with the rod leading to the signal at a point remote from the pivoted end of the said rail part.

3. A railway signaling apparatus comprising a movable rail part pivoted at one extremity, and normally in line with the main-track rail, a tongue occupyinga position at an angle to the rail part and arranged to move therewith when the train is moving in one direction, said tongue being hinged to allow it to move independently o f the rail part when the train is moving in the opposite direction, a rod connected with the rail part remote from its pivoted extremity, and connected with the tongue adjacent its pivoted or hinged extremity, whereby the rail part and the tongue are made to oscillate as the said rod moves back and forth, a lever with which the opposite extremity of the rod is connected, another rod having one extremity connected with the same lever, another lever with which the opposite extremity of the last-named rod is connected, a signal, another rod connected with the lever and with the signal, a V-shaped rail part hinged at one extremity and having one arm normally in line with the main-track rail, the said V-shaped rail part being connected with the rod leading to the signal at a point remote from the pivoted end of the said rail part, and a spring-actuated rod connected with the V-shaped rail part and arranged to hold it in its normal position. y

4. A railway signaling apparatus comprising amovable rail part pivoted at one extremity, normally in line with the main-track rail, a tongue occupying a position at an angle to the rail part and arranged to move therewith when' the train is moving in one direction, said tongue being hinged to allow it to move independently of said rail part when the train is moving in the opposite direction, a rod connected with the rail part remote from its pivoted extremity, said rod being connected with the tongue adjacent its pivoted or hinged extremity, whereby the rail part and the tongue are made to oscillate as the rod reciprocates, a lever with which the opposite extremity of the rod is connected, another rod having one extremity connected with the same lever, an-

other lever with which theopposite extremity of the last-named rod is connected, a signal, and another rod connected with the lever and with the signal, and means for automatically locking the signal in the actuated position.

5. A railway signaling apparatus-comprising a movable rail part pivoted at one extremity, and normally in line with the main-track Y rail, a tongue occupying a position atan angle to the rail part and arranged to move therewith when the train is moving in one direction, said tongue being hinged to allow it to move independently of said rail part when the train is movin gin-the opposite direction, a rod connected with the rail part remote from its pivoted extremity, said rod being connected with the tongue adjacent its pivoted or hinged extremity, whereby the rail part and the tongue are made to oseillate as the rod reciprocates, alever with which the opposite extremity of the rod is connected, another rod having one extremity connected with the same lever, another lever with which the opposite extremity of the last-named rod is connected, a signal, and another rod connected with the lever and with the signal, means -for automatically locking the signal in the actuated position, and means actuated by the train for unlocking the operated signal as the train passes the latter.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN CLEGHORN. Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, B. WILDERSIN. 

